Huge Success for Leicester City Council

Leicester City Council are going the extra mile when it comes to Changing Places provision in the city. There are currently twelve Changing Places toilets within ten miles of the centre with the latest facility registered at the council’s City Hall headquarters.

Letting people know that Changing Places toilets are available is an important part of Changing Places awareness and campaigning. The council have also produced a superb Changing Places webpage on their website with all the information you need to find the city’s Changing Places toilets easily. Link here.

Good promotion and signage is very important so that people can make good use of their Changing Places and show how much they are valued and needed.

The Changing Places consortium and our sponsors Aveso would like to thank Leicester City Council for making sure that people are aware of their facilities and for providing toilets that mean many more people can access the city and enjoy time with family and friends.
Leicester City Council press release below:

Council opens new Changing Places facility

A BRAND new toilet facility for people with profound disabilities is now available in Leicester city centre.

The city council has installed the Changing Places toilet on the ground floor of its City Hall headquarters on Charles Street as part of its commitment to improving access to community facilities for disabled people.

The new toilet – which offers a height-adjustable adult-sized changing bench, a ceiling track hoist, and plenty of space either side of the toilet for carers – brings the total number of Changing Places facilities in the city up to eight.

Deputy city mayor Cllr Rory Palmer, who’s responsible for adult social care, said: “These facilities can make a huge difference to the quality of life of thousands of profoundly disabled people.

“Knowing that there are fully accessible toilets available in the city centre means that families don’t have to limit outings to a few short hours, and instead can enjoy a day out without worrying about such a basic need.

“Over the past three years, the council has worked with disabled people and organisations to install Changing Places facilities in key locations across the city – such as Curve and Phoenix Arts – but there’s still more that we want to do.

“There’s already a Changing Places toilet at De Montfort Hall, and one will also be provided at the new Haymarket Bus Station – but we’re also talking to other local businesses and attractions about installing facilities at their venues too.”

The city council has invested around £550,000 in improving access to community facilities for disabled people in the past three years, with a budget of around £350,000 available this financial year.

While the focus for works has been the installation of Changing Places facilities, the council has also supported voluntary and community organisations to make minor adaptations or purchase specialist equipment – and it’s also funded improvements to local leisure centres, with the installation of poolside hoists, accessible changing rooms and automatic doors.

John Hargrave, chair of the Disabled Access Group, said: “These improvements can help disabled people lead as full a life as possible, giving them access to facilities that most people take for granted.

“By investing in these facilities, the city council is helping disabled people and their families to enjoy greater independence – and ensure that people aren’t isolated, just because of their disability.”

The Changing Places facility at City Hall is available from 8am until 8pm seven days a week. Opening hours on Bank Holidays can be checked by calling the council on (0116) 373 7770.
A list of all the Changing Places facilities in Leicester is available at www.changing-places.org, while useful information for disabled people and their carers can be found at www.disabledgo.com

It’s estimated that there are around 250,000 people in the UK who cannot use standard accessible toilets. This includes people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy.